Safe
Safe is a 2012 American action crime thriller film written and directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Jason Statham, Salman Malik, Anupam Das, Robert John Burke and James Hong. Statham plays an ex-cop and former cage fighter who winds up protecting a gifted child who is being chased by the Russian mafia, Chinese Triads, and corrupt New York City police. Movie Summary Ex-cop and cage fighter Luke Wright (Jason Statham) unintentionally wins a fixed fight, angering Emile Docheski (Sándor Técsy), head of the Russian mafia. As punishment, Docheski's son Vassily (Joseph Sikora) and his men kill Wright's pregnant wife, then promise to kill anyone to whom he speaks regularly. Luke leaves his life behind, becoming a homeless tramp. At the same time, in China, Mei (Catherine Chan), a young math genius, is kidnapped by men working for Triad boss Han Jiao (James Hong). Han wishes to use Mei as a human computer to eliminate his criminal enterprise's traceable digital footprint. He sends her to New York City, in the care of brutal gangster Quan Chang (Reggie Lee). One year later, Han arrives from China, asking Mei to memorize a long number. On the way to retrieve a second number, the vehicle is ambushed by the Russian mafia. Mei is taken to Emile, who demands the number, but Mei refuses. Before they can further interrogate her, they are interrupted by police, sent by the corrupt Captain Wolf (Robert John Burke), who works for Han. Mei escapes during the confusion, chased by the Russians to a nearby subway station, where Luke contemplates suicide. Recognizing Chemyakin (Igor Jijikine), one of the men who killed his wife, and seeing Mei's distress, Luke boards the train and kills Chemyakin. Mei flees at the next stop, only to be stopped by two corrupt detectives working for Wolf. Luke arrives and incapacitates the detectives, convincing Mei of his good intentions, before he also dispatches some Russians. Hiding in a hotel, Mei explains the number to Luke, who guesses that it's the code to a combination safe. However, Quan tracks Mei down, through her cell phone, escaping with her during a diversion, as Luke fights through his men. Across town, Captain Wolf meets with Mayor Danny Tremello (Chris Sarandon), who has learned that Luke is involved. He cautions Wolf, explaining that Luke wasn't really a cop, but a government assassin responsible for numerous black operations on the orders of his commanding officers in an effort to wipe out criminal organizations in the New York area along with his former partner Alex Rosen (Anson Mount). Luke's life of exile is not one of necessity, but rather of atonement for the things he did in the employ of the government. Using Chemyakin's phone, Luke sets up Vassily, whom he easily kidnaps. Emile reluctantly accepts a deal for his son's life, explaining that Mei's number unlocks a heavily guarded safe with $30 million, though he does not know the contents of a second safe. Needing a team to get to the safe, Luke recruits Wolf and his detectives. Together, they fight through numerous Triad gangsters, eventually reaching the safe. As Luke is about to open it, Wolf attempts to betray him, but Luke kills the remaining detectives and takes Wolf hostage. Using the money, Luke bribes Alex Rosen, who now works for the mayor, into rescuing Mei. Alex reveals the second safe to belong to the mayor, containing a disc with data on his corrupt deals. Alex meets with Quan showcasing his great combat prowess by easily killing him and his men, as Mei watches. Meanwhile, Luke assaults the mayor and retrieves a copy of the mayor's disc. Alex and Luke arrange a meeting, but Luke refuses to surrender the money, instead suggesting that they settle it with a fight. Before they can begin, Mei shoots Alex, wounding him, and Luke finishes him off. In the aftermath, Luke gives Wolf $50,000 and instructs him to return Vassily to his father, unharmed. He sends the remainder of the money to Han, to buy off Mei's freedom, threatening to ruin Han's operations should Han try to recover Mei. Han leaves New York City in disgust, as Luke hides multiple copies of the disc throughout the city. When Mei asks if they are finally safe, Luke responds that they will take it one day at a time. Movie Characters Heroes *Jason Statham as Luke Wright *Catherine Chan as Mei Corrupt Politicians/Policemen *Chris Sarandon as Mayor Danny Tremello *Robert John Burke as Captain Wolf *James Colby as Detective Mears *Matt O'Toole as Detective Lasky *Jack Gwaltney as Detective Reddick *Barry Bradford as Detective Benoit *Jay Giannone as Detective Kolfax Triad Villains *James Hong as Han Jiao *Reggie Lee as Quan Chang *David Kim as Triad #1 Russian Villains *Igor Jijikine as Shemyakin *Sándor Técsy as Emile Docheski *Joseph Sikora as Vassily Docheski, son of Emile Other Villains *Anson Mount as Alex Rosen Category:2012 Category:2010 era releases Category:Jason Statham action films Category:Films Category:R rated films Category:Crime Dramas Category:Films involving police corruption Category:Die Hard in a Casino scenario movies Category:Die Hard in a Hotel scenario movies Category:Films and Shows with Russian-European villains Category:Die Hard scenario films with career criminal villains Category:Die Hard scenario films involving a heist Category:Die Hard in a Nightclub films Category:Die Hard scenarios set in New York Category:Die Hard on a Train scenario movies Category:Die Hard on a Moving Vehicle scenario movies Category:Die Hard in a Subway scenario movies Category:Films influenced by the style of Taken